


Our Solid State

by deadpai



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Comedy, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Married Castiel/Dean Winchester, Mostly Fluff, Robot Castiel, Robot Sex, Robot/Human Relationships, Romance, Switching, android!castiel/human!dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-21
Updated: 2014-02-21
Packaged: 2018-01-13 07:55:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1218460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadpai/pseuds/deadpai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the story of Dean Winchester and Castiel's married life together both before and after the android, Castiel, acquires an upgrade to make him look human.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Our Solid State

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, I kind of have a thing for androids, and I most certainly have a thing for sweet, fluffy Dean and Cas being insanely in love with each other, so this is the resulting combination of the two.  
> This story takes place at least 100 years in the future, no specific year is established.  
> Oh and the dumb art is by me

 

When Dean wakes up, he's alone.

He blinks groggily at the empty space next to him and groans.  He hates waking up alone.  He's far too used to having that heavy lump next to him to be okay without it. 

He rolls out of bed and stretches, an act that takes him longer and longer each day, then heads into the kitchen.  "Mornin',"

"Good morning, Dean.  Did you sleep well?"  An android asks, his back towards Dean where he stands over the stove cooking breakfast.

Dean responds with an annoyed grunt.

"What's the matter?"

"You shoulda woke me up.  You know I hate when you don't."  Dean saunters up behind the android, snaking his arms around a smooth, plastic waist. 

"Yes, and you know I don't like waking you prematurely on your days off work.  I had to get up nearly 3 hours ago to acquire some software updates."

"Three hours?"  Dean asks, his head jolting back a bit in surprise.  "Must've been a hell of an update.  Any fun new _settings_ I need to know about?"

The android hums a laugh, and Dean smiles.  "No, just standard updates.  My processor is a bit slow is all."

"Hm," Dean nods, then hooks his chin over a glossy, white shoulder.  He surveys the action on the stove and gives it an appreciative inhale.  "Looks good."

"It's almost ready.  Please sit, I'll bring you your breakfast shortly." 

"Thanks, Cas." Dean murmurs, squeezing the android's waist, though it has no give.  He places a soft kiss onto the silver chrome panels on the back of his neck, and the android responds with a pleased, buzzy hum.

As requested, Dean sits at the table, the android following him shortly after with a full plate of classic bacon and eggs.  He pours Dean a hot cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice, then sits beside him.  Dean digs in as soon as Cas is settled, greatly enjoying having a full breakfast instead of the quick dose of vitamins he swallows down before work during the week. 

Cas watches Dean eat, and Dean can tell by the way the blue lights on his vision screen blink that he's happy.  Dean smiles at him.  "So what's the latest?"

The android faces forward to project a small screen about a foot in front of him.  Then, as Dean eats, Castiel reads him the news.

 

* * *

 

Dean got Castiel about 5 years ago.  He was probably the last person on the planet to own a companion android, and probably never would have gotten one if his brother Sam hadn't received Castiel for free from a client he represented in a case years ago.  Dean was definitely reluctant to take the android in at first, but once he and Castiel got used to each other, there was no looking back.  Now Dean can't imagine his life without him.

Of course, Castiel is an older model; one of the first in production in fact.  Nowadays, androids are barely unmistakable from humans, from their looks, down to their emotional responsiveness.  Castiel has plenty of emotion, Dean says, even if he can't express it with his featureless face.  Dean can read his feelings on the black, horizontal vision screen across the top half of Castiel's head just fine.  It's all in the different patterns and speeds in which the blue lights across the screen blink.  Sam and his wife Jess are getting pretty good at picking up on Cas' emotions, but Dean is fluent.

Just as Cas is fluent in Dean.

 

* * *

 

"You're nervous."  Castiel says, watching as Dean needlessly readjusts his tie in front of a floor length screen showing his reflection in three different angles.  "Why?"

"I dunno," Dean grumbles, "You know how I hate these big fancy events."

"Well, perhaps at your next meeting you should suggest Winchester Aeromobile be less charitable with their massive earnings, then you wouldn’t have to attend so many."

"Ha ha," Dean rolls his eyes, stifling a grin.  He turns around to look Cas up and down.  "Sorry about havin' to put you in a suit too, but you do look awesome in it."

"Thank you."  Cas says, flattening his white-plated hands down the front of his shirt and jacket.  "And I don't mind at all."

Dean walks up to his android and straightens his tie and collar, then buttons up his jacket.  He leans in for a kiss, Cas meeting him halfway to place the smooth surface of his head-casing against Dean's soft lips.  Dean wraps his arms around Cas' waist, letting the android's strong hold calm his nerves.

After a few minutes, the intercom on the door lets them know their car for the evening has arrived.  Castiel places his chrome palm on the small of Dean's back, ushering him out the door first.  He follows close behind Dean as they walk across the balcony and into the car hovering next to it.  The plank extending from the side of the car disconnects from the balcony to return into the car's undercarriage, the side door lowering shut immediately after.  Dean and Castiel huddle close together in the back seat as the car takes off to its programmed destination.

Dean groans, "The worst thing about these events is that I can't drive us to 'em myself.  I'd much rather be driving my baby than ride in one these."

"It's much more organized if the event planner provides transportation.  And it comes from tradition, I believe."

"Yeah, yeah, I know.  Rich people takin’ limos to parties and stuff.  Still, I hate not being in control of a vehicle."

"I know you do."  Castiel says in a fond tone, running his hand over Dean's thigh and giving it a squeeze.  "At least we're in a car your company manufactures."

"True."  Dean says, patting the black leather seat.  Winchester Aeromobile makes the best quality vehicles, whether for land or sky. 

 

* * *

 

Dean and Castiel are something of a marvel for attendees at these big events.  With Castiel being a sort of retro model and Dean being one of the executives of Winchester Aeromobile, they make quite a pair.  Though he knows the two of them look good, Dean hates all the attention.  It makes him feel like he and Cas are some sort of novelty for the public to gawk at, when really they are just a normal couple, and Dean would like to be treated that way.

Instead, every hovering camera-bot turns their lenses towards Dean and Castiel to record their arrival to the ballroom for all the attendees to witness on the screens inside.  Dean rolls his eyes, feeling like a spectacle, but Castiel isn't in the least bit bothered.  The android simply walks arm in arm with Dean, face forward and gait steady.  Dean is fairly certain Castiel ignores all the hubbub surrounding their arrival for his sake, and he appreciates the hell out of it.

The pair find friends quickly once inside the party, luckily avoiding any nosy press on the way over to them.  The group falls easily into conversation, talking, laughing and enjoying glasses of champagne.  They make the usual jokes about the absurdity of these events’ extravagance, and about how absurd they feel at them even after all these years.  Dean’s happy his colleagues and friends have stayed so humble despite all their success.

"Castiel, mind if I borrow your boy for a bit?"  Crowley, one of the slightly less humble in the crowd, requests of the android with a smirk. 

"Borrow him?" The android tilts his head, the lights on his vision screen splitting into in two halves slanting up and inward in a worried fashion.  "For how long?"

Crowley chuckles and Dean squeezes the hard metal arm his had been wrapped around since they arrived.  "He just wants to talk to me for a minute.  I'll be right back." 

"Oh.  Alright."  Castiel nods, a slight confusion still twinkling in blue on his screen.  Dean smiles and gives him a quick kiss on the side of his head, then follows Crowley to a buffet table of hors d’oeuvres.  

“Darling, you have got to let me upgrade that bot of yours.”

“Oh, not this again,” Dean mumbles, mouth full of some bacon-wrapped crab on toast thing. 

“Don’t get me wrong, Dean, you know I think the retro look is charming, but don’t you think it’s time you’ve caught up with the rest of society?  Let me slap some skin on him, you won’t regret it.”

Dean rolls his eyes and groans, downing the rest of his champagne.  He looks over to where Cas stands with the group and sees Sam and his wife join them.  They both give Cas big smiles and Sam pats him on the shoulder.  Even from a distance, Dean can see the happy blinks of Cas’ screen.

“He doesn’t need skin.  He doesn’t need to look like everyone else.”

“Never said he _needed_ to.”  Crowley says lowly, edging closer to make their conversation more private.  “But don’t you ever want him to?  Don’t you ever wish you had a warm body to grab hold of at night?  Instead of, well, you know,” Crowley gestures towards Castiel, wincing and shuddering dramatically.

“Oh fuck off.  He’s not a dildo on legs, Crowley.”  Dean glares. 

“Well not without the attachment on-“

“ _Crowley.”_

“Alright, alright, sorry.”  Crowley rolls his eyes, “Anyway, all I’m saying is that I know deep down, if you could have Cas be human, you would.  And I can get you as close to that reality as possible.  You’ve seen my models.  You know they’re good.”

Dean does know.  Crowley’s androids are probably the most lifelike in the country, maybe even the world.  There’s no doubt he could suit Cas up perfectly. 

Changing Cas so drastically is a scary thought though, but it’s not one Dean’s never had.  He’s wondered often what it would be like to have Cas outfitted with warm, smooth skin, soft hair to run his fingers through, lips to kiss.

It all sounds nice, but he doesn’t need any of it.

“Well?” Crowley looks at him with raised eyebrows, breaking Dean out of his reverie.

Dean licks his lips and looks over to where Cas is.  He’s looking at Dean, lights blinking in a curious manner before they turn happy again when they make contact with Dean’s eyes.  Dean winks at him and smiles.

“Talk to Cas about it.  If he’s game, then so am I.”

“What?”

Dean turns back to Crowley, giving him a stern look.  “It’s Cas’ body.  It’s his choice.  Ask him.” 

Dean ends the conversation there before Crowley can say something about how Cas is his property.  That attitude just doesn’t sit right with Dean, not with all he and Cas share together.  He walks back over to the group, immediately putting his arm back in place hooked around Cas’.

Castiel buzzes happily, blue lights blinking across his screen as he turns his head toward Dean.  “Welcome back.  What did Crowley want?”

Dean gives Castiel a quick nuzzle and murmurs, “He’ll probably want to talk to you about it in a minute.” Castiel tilts his head, but Dean forgoes elaborating, looking past him to greet his brother.

Not even a minute after Dean rejoins his friends, Crowley calls Cas over to him.  As Cas walks away, Dean slaps his plastic-plated rear end, making a hard noise even under a pair of slacks.  Cas jolts a little, turning back to give Dean a thin-lined glare. 

“It’s a miracle he puts up with you.”  Sam snorts, crossing his arms and shaking his head.

“I know.”

 

* * *

 

"Castiel!" Crowley greets him grandiosely, gesturing widely at the chair next to him.  "Sit, sit.  Let's have a chat."

Tentatively, Castiel sits down in the indicated chair.  He has never particularly liked Crowley; there is something untrustworthy about his smarmy demeanor.  It doesn't help that Dean isn't fond of Crowley either.  He scoots his chair forward then turns toward the man, the blue lights on his vision screen form a straight, serious line.

"Crowley.  What is it you want to speak with me about?"

"I want to put your chip in one of my models.  Get you all nice and upgraded."

Castiel stares silently for a moment as he processes Crowley's meaning.  "You want to transfer me to a Life Droid.  Is this what you were discussing with Dean?"

"That's right.  Dean said he'd leave the decision up to you."

"Oh," Castiel is not surprised by Dean's consideration, though he appreciates it.  Unfortunately it leaves Castiel with a very difficult decision.  "What did he say?"

"He said it was your choice to make.  So, what do you say, Cas?  Can I give you a makeover?"

It is a simple question requiring only a yes or no answer.  Why then, is it such a hard one to answer?  Castiel can't feel any sort of attachment to his current model, and Crowley's are top of the line. 

The problem lies in how it would change his relationship with Dean.  Would it change for the better?  There are simply too many variables to be sure. 

"Need some help deciding?" Crowley hunches forward.

Castiel's lights blink twice at him. "Yes."

"Alright then, let me ask you this: Dean's a handsome man, much as I hate to admit it.  You ever see women giving him the once-over?  Or men?"

Certainly Castiel can recall many instances of people looking at Dean in a manner he found impolite.  It's no surprise, Dean is beautiful.  Castiel may hold onto Dean's arm a little tighter when he sees someone else's eyes on him, but that's certainly no fault of Dean's.  Nor are peoples' indecencies Castiel's fault.  The question seems irrelevant. 

"Yes."  Castiel responds.  "What's your point?"

"You ever see Dean looking _back_?" 

Crowley leans in even further, his voice low and wicked.  Castiel's processor whirrs as he thinks.  Perhaps he can also recall some instances where Dean has cast a lustful, but fleeting glance at a man or woman.  But, does it matter?

Castiel searches through the crowd until he spots Dean.  He's having fun; talking and laughing with Sam and Jessica.  A waiter with a tray of food walks by, offering it to the group before walking away, swinging his hips flamboyantly.  Castiel sees Dean's gaze follow the waiter for a split second before his attention is back to his brother and sister-in-law. 

Next to him, Crowley watches Dean as well, chuckling darkly. 

Castiel continues to consider whether or not any of this matters to him.  Dean may be momentarily attracted to someone else, but Castiel knows who gets Dean's full attention.  He knows who can make Dean laugh, make him blush, make him happy.  He knows who gets to go home with Dean, who gets to have him naked, flushed, writhing and who gets to hear the noises Dean makes only in those moments. 

This all belongs to Castiel, and no one can take that away. 

Still, Crowley's question keeps Castiel thinking.  It must matter.  But why?

"Castiel," Crowley says, and the android turns to him, his flashing lights going still as he is brought back to the present.  "Let me ask you one more thing."

The rows of lights narrow down to one, slanting down and inward to a center point.  "Crowley, why am I being asked all of these questions?  Why is this decision being left up to me?  I am not the one who would be paying the large sum for this procedure.  Dean is."

"It'll be free of charge, mate.  Though, the two of you will make a hell of an advertisement."  Crowley grins smugly as he takes a sip of champagne.  Castiel growls.  "Now, to my question.  Last one, promise."

"What is it?"

"Have you ever wished you could kiss Dean back?"

 

* * *

 

Castiel rolls his mechanical hips slow, but hard.  He plunges in deep, the plastic plating covering his body slapping loudly up against human skin.  On each powerful thrust forward, Dean cries out.

"Mmm - Ohh - Cas," Dean's head is thrown back, eyes squeezed shut and hands scrambling anywhere for purchase, though unable to hold for long. 

Castiel doesn't let up.  He keeps his every thrust hard and purposeful, every now and then adjusting the intensity of his vibrating shaft attachment.  He knows just the right times to change its rhythm and speed.  He knows the right angle, the right strength.  He knows just the right way to do everything when he fucks Dean.

When Dean's words turn to desperate moans and whining, Castiel knows he's nearly there.  He goes for another deep thrust in, and holds it, angling the head of his shaft right on Dean's prostate. 

"Ohh, F-fuck," Dean manages, despite his jaw going slack.  He clutches tight onto Castiel's solid forearms, his heels press into the chrome panels of Castiel's lower back. 

Castiel then moves his hips in tiny, quick, circular motions.  He thrusts forward and backward just a little, but doesn't pull out completely.  There's no need to anymore.  He rubs at Dean's prostate over and over again, shaft vibrating hard. 

Dean bites his lip, "Cas-!"

"Dean,"

Castiel bows forward, and Dean wraps his arms around his shoulders, one hand clutching at the back of his neck.  Castiel thrusts forward one last time, and holds.

Dean lets out a broken gasp and shudders, finally letting go.  He moans as he comes in sporadic bursts, coating Castiel's chest plate and his own torso.  For that moment, Dean is in total ecstasy, gone on another planet, making facial expressions only Castiel gets to witness.

It's beautiful.

Castiel watches in awe as Dean slowly comes back to himself.  Dean pulls the android's blank face forward, pressing warm, wet kiss after kiss to the smooth white shell of his head-casing.  Castiel buzzes and hums, his lights twinkle, he returns Dean's tight hold.

He tells Dean that he loves him.

He does as much as he can while Dean kisses him, because he cannot kiss him back.

 

* * *

 

"I've made my decision."

"Hey, there you are!" Dean wraps an arm around Cas' shoulders when he sidles up next to him, rejoining the group.  "You were gone a while."

Cas is staring at him, lights blinking in rapid, crazy patterns. 

"Whoa," Sam laughs, "What's goin’ on?  What decision?"

"I've decided to accept Crowley's offer.  I'm going to have my chip transferred into one of his Life Droids."

"Cas, you sure about this?  Don't you want some more time to think about it?"  Dean curls his hand around Castiel's bicep piece, and looks at him with concern.  He's never seen Cas look so excited about something; at least, not outside of the bedroom.  "What the hell did Crowley say to you?"

"Crowley did what any good salesman would do," Crowley says, announcing his presence in the third person.  "I gave dear Cas an idea, and I sold him on it."

Dean and Sam both glare at him, and Jess looks between all of them in confusion.  "Why all the angry faces?" She says with a laugh, "This is great news!  Cas, you'll look fantastic!"

"Hold on, Cas, c'mere."  Dean tugs at Cas' arm, pulling him off to the side.  "This is a big move.  Are you _sure_ you wanna do this?  I mean, really, really sure?"

"Yes, Dean."  Cas replies, his lights finally slowing down to a steady wave across the screen.  "I want this."

"Okay," Dean nods, his brows still furrowed with concern. 

"Dean," Cas tilts his head, taking a step closer.  He rests a hand on Dean's hip.  "Do you want this?"

"This is your call, Cas.  I want what you want.  Whatever makes you happy makes me happy."

"This will make us happy.  I am sure of it."

"Alright then," Dean nods resolutely and smiles, tilting his head to plant a warm kiss to Cas' face.  He feels Cas' other hand grip his hip and pull him in closer as he tilts his head as well, holding Dean's kiss. 

When Dean pulls away and sees Cas' lights do their happy dance, he's convinced. 

Finally, they go to their table with Sam and Jess, along with a few others.  The rest of the party is spent listening to thank you speeches from the heads of the charity Winchester Aeromobile is donating to.  Dean's happy to zone out and relax now that the stress Crowley caused is over with for the moment. 

The only unfortunate thing is how many camera-bots have been pointed at them since they shared that meaningful kiss.  Dean hopes they weren't able to pick up any of their conversation. 

Next to him, Castiel listens to the speeches and musical tributes with rapt attention.  Dean smiles and leans on him, letting Castiel's contentment spread to him. 

 

* * *

 

Crowley snakes into a chair at their table as soon as the presentations of the evening are over, before they have a chance to leave. 

"So, boys, lets seal the deal, shall we?"

Dean rolls his eyes.  "What are you gonna have Cas sign a contract in motor oil?"

"Dean, I've told you many times there are no liquids in my body."

"Please, Dean, catch up to this century.  No one signs contracts anymore.  And motor oil?  Really?  How have you even heard of that?  Does that even exist on this planet anymore?"

Dean buries his face in his hands and mumbles, "Alright, alright, for God's sake just tell us what we need to do already."

"Pushy, pushy."  Crowley pulls out a small, thin pad.  He punches a code into it, then scoots it in front of Dean.  It projects a screen with the details of the contract and transfer procedure.  "Basically, you -or Cas, I imagine- will pick a model you like, we'll transfer his chip into it, run tests, then spend some time having Cas get used to the new body.  Whole process takes a week."

"A week?!" Dean and Castiel both ask at once.

"Yes.  You'll have to detach from each other's hips for a whole week."  Crowley looks between them with impatience.  "Oh, don't look so scandalized.  You can still call each other.  Besides, I promise it'll be worth the time."

Dean swallows and nods.  Using his forefinger, he scrolls down the contract, skimming it.  He knows Cas is reading the whole thing, and he doesn't stop to say anything looks fishy.  He turns to Cas and brushes the back of his hand down the smooth, white surface of his head. 

"Well, guess this is it."

"Yes." Cas nods at him, his blue lights doing a singular happy wave. 

Since Castiel is under Dean's name, Dean is the one to press his thumb to the pad.  The pad quickly analyzes and registers his thumbprint, giving Dean a friendly thank you message when it's completed. 

"Fantastic."  Crowley says as he puts the pad back in his breast pocket.  "If it works for you, I can have Cas picked up first thing Monday morning, and have him back Sunday."

"Sound good to you?"  Dean asks Cas, hearing Crowley huff next to him. 

"Yes.  That will work." 

Dean nods one last time, and settles the details with Crowley.  Inside, he's damn thankful Cas sounds so sure about this.

Because Dean certainly isn't.

 

* * *

 

As promised, Crowley sends a car to pick Cas up Monday morning, about an hour before Dean has to leave for work. 

Dean hasn't made a single move towards getting ready, though.  He's spent the entire morning up until now in bed, buried in Cas' arms.  It's his favorite place in the world to be after all, behind the wheel of his baby being a close second, and since he won't be able to be in that strong hold for a whole week, he’s taking full advantage of what time he has left. 

They slowly get up when the car arrives, walking hand in hand to the entryway. 

"I'm gonna miss you.  Dick."  Dean says, bashfully nudging Cas’ foot with his bare toes and staring at the floor.

"I'll miss you too, uh - assbutt."

Dean busts out laughing, wrapping his arms around the android's waist for one last tight hug.  "Assbutt?  That the best you can do?" 

"At the moment, yes."  Cas returns the hug as always, wrapping snug around Dean's back.  "I'm afraid I'm feeling too loving towards you to curse properly."

"Sap."  Dean teases, planting kisses on the side of Cas' head.  He pulls away and watches the lights do a slow, happy, twinkling wave.  He feels something tug at his chest, and he swallows hard. 

This is the last time Dean's ever gonna see those blue lights dance.

He tilts his head up and kisses across the screen, the lights forming circles under each press of lips.  Dean chuckles.  He'll miss those dumb lights for sure, but he doesn't say it, doesn't want Cas to feel any apprehension about his decision. 

Of course, the android doesn't seem nervous in the least.  Simply troubled with being away for a week. 

"Call me as soon as you can, okay?"

"I will, Dean.  Of course."  They let go of each other and Cas walks to the door.  He presses a button on the panel next to it and it slides open.  Two hovering bots wait outside to escort him into the vehicle waiting for him.  "I love you."

"Love you too."

They share a look that makes Dean swallow hard again, and Cas walks out the door.

 

* * *

 

Dean remembers falling in love with Cas pretty well.  Though, it was a slow process.

It took him a much shorter time to want to bang him.

There were a few awkward and frustrating months after Castiel had first moved in, or rather when Sam dropped him off.  Dean bickered with the android constantly, too stubborn to become friends with him.  Dean has always had difficulty accepting anything good in his life, especially if there’s a chance on that good thing lasting a while.

Eventually Dean had to give in.  Castiel could argue just as well as Dean could, but at the same time, he was still so utterly devoted to befriending Dean.  Not only that, but he did his damnedest to please Dean as well.  Making Dean his favorite meals, watching Dean’s favorite movies with him, being so interested in everything Dean had to say.  After a while, Dean had to admit defeat and quit being a dick.

The truth is, Cas is great.  His personality, though pretty different from Dean’s, still somehow _fits_ with Dean’s so well.

Dean just couldn’t deny having Cas around improved his life completely.

Once Dean let things becomes easier between them, it didn’t take long at all for things to progress.

One afternoon, Dean sat with Castiel, watching some incredibly dramatic soap opera (which Dean made the android swear to never divulge to Sam).  There was still some space between them on the couch, but, without Dean realizing it, the two had begun to sit closer and closer together as the days went by.

There was a man on the TV crying because his wife had left him, a fairly tame situation for the show, but Dean could tell that Castiel was being affected by the story.  The little blue lights on his screen were flickering and changing into strange shapes.

“Dean?” Castiel began, still facing the television.  “Has that ever happened to you?”

“Huh?  You mean cried so hard some snot came out of my nose?  I mean, I dunno, when I was a kid maybe-“

“No, not that, I mean – have you ever, I believe the term is: had your heart broken?”

“Oh,” Dean sits back as memories hit him instantly, “Yeah.  A few times, yeah.”

The android makes a sharp, buzzing noise, like a digital gasp as his head turns with a jolt towards Dean.  “A few times?  You have been in love many times before?”

Dean gapes at Cas for a moment before he answers, watching the lights go in shapes he’s never seen them make.  Dean would say Cas looks startled, worried.  He doesn’t know how he can tell.

“Nah, I’ve only been _in love_ in love like, once.  You don’t have to be in love with someone to get your heart broken.”

Cas looks down for a bit in silence, the lights’ movements slow a few beats, then he looks back to Dean.  “I don’t understand.  What other ways can one’s heart break?”

Dean turns his body more towards Cas, but doesn’t look at him.  “Well, I mean – when my mom died, that broke my heart.  My dad dying did too.  I’ve had a couple really close friends die over the years, which is sure heart breaking.  Hell, I’ve gotten into big enough fights with Sam to break my heart.  When he gets so pissed at me he won’t talk to me for months, damn, it’s devastating.  Feels like I failed him, you know?”

“Oh,” Cas’ response is a single word, but there is a lot of emotion in the tone.  More than Dean can remember hearing before.

“Shit,” Dean continues with a defeated laugh, “I remember when I totaled my car.  _That_ was heart breaking.  She’s fixed now, thank God.”

“Your heart was broken over a machine?”

“Oh hell yeah.  Anything you love, put your heart into – can break it.” 

Finally, Dean meets Cas’ attentive stare.  The rows of lights are forming large, rolling waves across the screen. 

“Your heart has suffered a lot of damage.”

“Yeah, but you know,” Dean shrugs, reaching to the coffee table to grab his beer and take a swig, “Happens to everyone.”

“You are very strong Dean, to go through so much suffering and still be okay.  You are okay, yes?”

“Yeah, I’m good.  I mean, not without a few character defects here and there, but yeah.  I’m doin’ fine.”

“I admire you.”  Cas says in a soft voice.  Dean sets his beer down and smiles at him, scooting a little closer to the android.  “Oh,”

"What is it?"

"I've just realized I'm very attracted to you."

The android says it matter-of-factly, but Dean's head jerks back in surprise.  He chuckles and smirks, leaning sideways on the couch, whole body turned towards Cas.  Even without a hint of seduction to Cas' words or tone, Dean feels the mood in the room change entirely. 

Dean remembers getting to the part in Cas' manual about the relationship possibilities the owner can have with the android. 

 

> _Angeldroids are programmed to become very attached to their owners.  If you are friendly to him, he will be friendly to you.  Over time, the bond you form with your Angeldroid can be truly profound._
> 
> _As your relationship with your Angeldroid progresses, he may develop romantic feelings for you.  This can be pursued or dissuaded as you see fit.  Getting your Angeldroid off the romantic track is as simple as telling him you're not interested.  Pursuing romance is equally simple, fun, and fulfilling._
> 
> _If you do decide to move forward with a romantic relationship, your Angeldroid is also able to perform sexually in any way you desire.  Note that the Angeldroid will only participate in sex with you if you initiate it first, so there is never any pressure to do so._
> 
> _Please see our catalogue for a wide selection of intimate attachments you can purchase for a one of a kind experience with your Angeldroid!_

At the time Dean had found the whole thing ridiculous.  Having a robot friend was one thing, but fucking one?  He knew it was a pretty commonplace thing, but no way was it Dean's style. 

That was before Dean had really gotten to know Castiel.  After spending time with him, Dean got more and more adjusted to the idea of going down that road.  In fact, he had been considering it for a while.

"Oh you are, huh?"  Dean asks playfully, putting on the patented Winchester charm instantly. 

"Yes I am."

Dean chuckles to himself, biting his lip.  He wonders if all androids are this blunt, or if that's just Cas' personality.  He's fairly certain it's the latter. 

"Well, you're not so bad yourself."  Dean coos, scooting closer until there's barely an inch between them. 

He means what he says, even though Castiel doesn't look like a person, Dean is still, for some damn reason, super attracted to him.  He wasn't at first, not that Cas is an odd looking bot; he's quite sleek, all glossy whites and shiny silvers, but Dean didn't see him and instantly pop a boner or anything.

Now, however, he's already feeling himself getting a little hard. 

Cas turns to Dean, the lights on his vision screen going in one big wave from left to right.  "Thank you."

Suddenly, Dean's fully on board for this, and done entirely with taking it slow.  He swings his leg over Cas' lap and straddles him. 

Cas' lights form an alert row of blue spikes.  "Dean?"

With a dark little laugh, Dean scoots forward on the android’s lap.  He slowly slides one hand up Cas' arm to his shoulder, and strokes the increasing bulge in his jeans with his other hand. 

"Mmm," He groans, already feeling lightheaded with thrill and arousal.  Cas' lights are going crazy now, trying to take in all of Dean's actions at once.  Dean smirks, giving his cock a squeeze and groaning before throwing off his t-shirt.

"Oh!,"  Cas says excitedly, making another one of those tinny gasping sounds when Dean grabs his wrists and puts his cool chrome palms on his bare chest.

"Touch me, Cas."  Dean whispers, and the android complies eagerly, running his hands up Dean's torso, across his chest, down his arms, then his sides, along his ribs and waist.  Dean flushes and his heart leaps, feeling damn good under all the attention.

Castiel's curiosity and excitement is totally infectious.  Dean lunges forward, hooking his arms around Cas' shoulders and smashing his lips to the smooth, white head-casing.  Somehow, it seems completely natural to kiss Cas like this, even when Dean's the only one with lips to do the kissing.  He gives Cas, wet, sucking, open kisses, loving the humming noises he's getting in response.

"You like this, Cas?" Dean asks as he trails his lips down the side of the android's head and to his chrome plated neck.  "You like when I kiss you?"

" _Yes._ "  Cas answers in a deep voice, tinged with static like it's being said through an old transistor radio.  The word sounds almost angry with the force put into it. 

Dean moans at the sound, pushing forward and rubbing himself up and down the android's solid abdomen.  It's like rubbing up against a refrigerator, but for some reason feels so good. 

He could probably come just from this, the overall intensity and newness of the experience contributing so much more than the physical sensation.  However, Dean's all about making the most of it, so he hops up on his knees and begins unfastening his pants.

"Dean, what are you doing?" 

"Taking my pants off,” Still shimmying out of his pants, Dean looks up at Cas through his eyelashes, “You wanna watch me jerk off?"

The lights on Cas' vision screen go still for a split second, then jump into motion.  "Yes."

Dean works his way out of his pants and underwear, Cas' hands still moving about all over him.  The chrome palms are warm now, but they still feel smooth and heavy.  Dean can't wait to find out how they'll feel on his lower half.

Once his pants are off, Dean settles back down into Cas' lap.  He spits in his hand, then wraps it around his cock and starts stroking, watching Cas' screen for reaction.  The lights dance curiously, going down to look at Dean's hand on his cock, then up to watch Dean's face. 

"Cas," Dean murmurs, placing his free hand on the side of Cas' head.  He gives Cas a soft kiss, then lifts his hips a little, moving one of Cas' hands to his bare ass.  "Want you to finger me.  Would you like that?  Wanna finger fuck me?"

He brings Cas' hand to near his crack, teasing himself just as much as he is the android.  He feels hot and foggy with lust, considering forcing Cas' hard fingers in before he even has a chance to answer him.

"Yes, Dean.  But we need-"

Dean cuts him off, whipping Cas' hand back up and around to in front of his face.  He doesn't waste a second before taking two thick fingers into his mouth and sucking them in, sweeping his tongue all across them. 

The android makes another sharp gasp-like noise.  If Dean's eyes weren't shut, he's sure he'd be seeing a hell of show on that vision screen right now.  Instead, he keeps them closed, moaning around the smooth fingers, sucking them in and out as he pumps his cock with a tight fist. 

Once Cas' fingers are more than sufficiently wet, he pulls them out of his mouth and releases Cas' wrist.  Lifting his hips a bit more, he sticks his ass up and out, wrapping his arm around Cas' sturdy shoulders for balance.  Cas is quick to move his hand behind Dean, cupping his ass cheek, fingertips dipping into his crease. 

"Are you ready, Dean?" Cas' asks, low and more aroused than Dean ever thought a machine could sound.  All Dean can do to respond is curse and nod, but it's enough.  Cas slides inside of him with his middle finger, slow and deep. 

It has Dean moaning instantly.  He drops his hips back then brings them forward, fucking himself onto Cas' finger and fucking into his own fist.  Cas gets the idea, pushing his finger in and out in perfect synchronization with Dean's movements. 

"Dean, kiss me more, please." 

Dean smashes his mouth on Cas before the sentence is even finished, lips sucking and tongue licking the smooth surface.  He presses his body in as much as he can while still giving his hips and fist room to move, his other hand squeezing a rock solid shoulder.  His heart pounds like crazy, finding that as good as this all feels, what makes it so incredible is feeling so close, but like he can't be close enough.  He has all of Cas, but somehow wants more, wants it all forever.

Before he knows it, there's a second finger in him, filling him up.  The digits curl and press, hitting Dean's prostate right on the mark. 

"Ah-! Fuck," Dean shouts, lips still pressed up against Cas' head.  He keeps his eyes open slightly to see the lights on Cas' screen dancing in waves and spikes going up and down in time with Dean's movement.  He moans, sealing his eyes and lips and pressing forward, feeling a rush of heat plummet through him in one heavy moment.

From that point, Dean is totally lost.  His hips bounce up and down, sparks of pleasure hitting him every time Cas' fingers are in him all the way.  He gasps and whimpers, the android joining Dean with buzzing hums. 

"You like this, Cas?  Like the way I feel?" Dean asks, nearly belligerent, his lips dragging up and down Cas' smooth face as he speaks.

"Yes, I like it, Dean.  I like it very much.  Do you?  Does it feel good?  Am I doing well?" 

"God, fuck yeah, Cas, feels so fucking good.  Here," Dean starts, an idea taking him.  He grabs the hand Cas has on Dean's waist and wraps it around his cock, removing his own hand to hook it around Cas' shoulders, joining his other one.  Then, he fucks into Cas' strong, mechanical fist, feeling Cas insert a third finger into Dean's hole.  "Oh, fuck!"

"Yes, oh yes," Cas purrs, voice vibrating on Dean's lips. 

All Dean can feel is tight, tight, and so hard.  It's heat and madness, tensing up low in his gut and dizzying up his brain.  His heart's going wild, chest squeezing every time he catches a blurry glimpse of the dancing lights on Cas' screen.  The android looks like he's going just as crazy as Dean is.

The tension builds and builds, breaking full force, taking Dean totally off guard.  He throws his head back and cries out, coming hard, shuddering in Cas' hands.  He collapses in Cas' lap, limbs limp and chin hooked over Cas' shoulder.  His eyes fall shut as he catches his breath. 

"Oh, Dean." Cas says, voice filled with awe.  "You are so beautiful."

Dean starts outright giggling, hugging Cas as well as he can even though he feels like a noodly, quivering mess.  Cas moves to hold him, strong and sturdy.  Dean melts into it, finding a feeling of safety he could get addicted to real quick.  His heart does a flip in his chest. 

"Hey," Dean starts, dutifully pushing his feelings aside, "Lets pick some sex toys out of that catalogue of yours."

Cas hums a fond laugh.  "Okay."

It takes Dean all of 5 minutes to fall in love with Cas after that.  Though it takes him a while longer to be brave enough to admit it.

 

* * *

 

After work on Monday evening, Dean heads straight to Sam and Jess' house.  They invited him to stay for the week so he wouldn't have to be in his apartment alone.

Their house is a separate structure, which is quite unusual these days, as most people live in huge sectioned buildings like Dean does.  Sam and Jess are highly successful lawyers, both specializing in different branches of robotic law, so they are wealthy enough to have their own separate living space.  Dean is probably wealthy enough to have his own house too, but he doesn't need a big space.  His place has all he needs.

That doesn't mean he doesn't love visiting his brother in the lap of luxury. 

When he pulls up to the house, he parks in his own designated space in the garage.  His baby, a modified 1967 Chevy Impala, fits right in with the other modded classic cars in Sam's garage.  The car's hover-jets slowly turn off, and the car lowers to the ground, the door opening automatically. 

Dean goes around to the back to grab his stuff out of the trunk, when a voice from behind him makes him jump.

"Please, let me get your bags for you."

"Whoa, buddy you scared the-" Dean turns around to see tall, dark and handsome staring right at him, "Shit."

"Hello, you must be Dean.  I'm the Winchester's new Butlerdroid, Ion.  It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Dean looks him up and down, and sure enough, he fits the butler description to an almost ridiculous T.  Slicked back hair, classic tuxedo.  The hand he's extending towards Dean is even wearing a _white glove._  

Dean quirks a brow and shakes his hand.  "Uh, cool.  Nice to meet you, Ian."

"Ion."

"Yeah, okay."

The butler takes Dean's suitcase and leads the way into the house.  Usually, Dean takes this chance to look around at his brother's huge foyer and whistle, but he can't seem to take his eyes off the bot. 

It's not like Dean is into him, but he is obviously hot.  If Dean weren't so entirely taken, he'd probably try it on with the guy. 

Dean stops in his tracks.

If this lifelike Butlerdroid looks this good to Dean, he can't even imagine how awesome Cas is gonna look.

The butler turns around, "Something wrong, sir?  Master Winchester has instructed I show you to your room.  He should be home from the office shortly."

Dean snorts, thinking to himself, " _Master Winchester?_ _You gotta be fucking kidding."_   He knows Cas would've laughed too.

He follows the butler to his room (giant room, giant bed, giant bathtub,) and unpacks.  While the butler lists off the evening's itinerary, Dean's mind is elsewhere, wishing Cas were here to enjoy a sexy week in rich people land.

 

* * *

 

“Hey, cool butler, by the way.” Dean jokes to his brother as they finish up dinner, the Butlerdroid efficiently clearing plates and refilling glasses.  “ _Master_ Winchester?  Really?”

“Dude, shut up.  We’re keeping him here for a client Jess is representing.”

“Yeah?  Someone getting sued for making androids that are too creepy?”

“He is not creepy!” Jess laughs, “He’s a little stiff and quiet, but he’s perfectly professional.  The lawsuit has nothing to do with the butlers’ personalities.  It’s all financial stuff as usual.”

“Boring,” Dean drags out, taking a sip of ice water that gets immediately refilled by the butler, making Dean jolt.  “You guys never get the cases with androids that go murder-y.”

Sam chuckles and rolls his eyes, “Anyway, how are you holding up with the whole Cas thing?  I know you’re at least a little worried.”

“Hell yeah I’m worried.  Who knows how Cas is gonna turn out.  I mean, what if Crowley totally fucks him up?  What if he drops his chip in a vat of acid or something?”

“Okay, first of all, how would that even happen?  And secondly, all of Cas’ data is backed up, so even if somehow the chip gets destroyed, everything on it can be restored.  You can just get a new one.”

Dean groans and hangs his head. 

“Sam, that’s not the point.” Jess starts, reaching over to pat Dean’s hand, “Dean’s worried Cas won’t be the same Cas when he gets back.”

“Oh,” Sam’s eyebrows curve up, scrunching up his forehead.  “Dude, this is what Crowley _does._   He’s not gonna fuck him up.  I mean, yeah, Cas will look totally different, but he’ll still be your Cas.”

“How am I gonna know for sure?”

“Because – it’s Cas.”  Sam shrugs, like the answer is obvious.  “No one knows him better than you do.  You’ll know.” 

Dean curls his lips inward and nods, heaving a deep sigh.  Sam’s right, but Dean wishes he could share his brother’s confidence.  The truth is he’s been sick with worry since Cas walked out the door.

He hopes Cas can call him tonight.

The three talk at the table for a few more hours, retiring once they realize it's gotten late.  Dean goes to his room and enjoys a nice, long, hot bath.  The bathroom is huge and glamorous; everything in it has a touchpad with a thousand settings to choose from.  Dean keeps it simple, filling the tub with hot water and scrubbing with soap.

He throws a robe on and collapses on the bed, relaxing for only a few minutes before a wide screen projects in front of him, indicating he has a video call.  He sits up and answers it immediately.

"Cas!"

"Hello, Dean,” The android says when he appears on the screen.  He looks unchanged; still plated in white and silver, blue lights still dancing happily on his vision screen. 

"Hey, baby," Dean says with a huge grin, heart going crazy in his chest.  "How was it today?"

"Very busy.  There have been a lot of choices to make about what my model will look like."

"Yeah?  Crowley treatin' you right?"

"Yes, actually.  He's made me a top priority."

"Damn right."  Dean scoots forward a bit on the bed, tucking his legs under him.  The robe spreads open, draping off of one shoulder.  Dean blushes, thinking he must make quite a picture.  He sees Cas' lights do an intrigued little twinkle, then pause and flicker. 

"I miss you."  Cas says, a fuzzy hum escaping him like a heavy sigh.  "I can't lie to you, Dean.  I regret this."

"What?" Concern takes Dean's face, eyes wide and brows furrowed.  "Why?  What do you mean?"

"A week away from you is too long.  It's only been one day, but I miss you so terribly.  I want to be with you."

"Oh,” Dean breathes, tension in his body leaving.  "I know, Cas, I miss you too.  Like crazy.  But, hey, couples have to be apart sometimes.  You know Sam and Jess travel separately for work a lot."

"Yes, that is true." Cas nods, but his lights still form sad, downward shapes.

"It'll be worth the wait, I promise."  Dean says it, and he means it.  No matter how Cas turns out, just being together again will be wonderful.  He hates seeing Cas so sad though, so Dean tries to change up the mood.  He crawls even closer to the screen, seeing Cas' lights perk up with interest.  "'Sides, we can still have fun together this way.  You wanna?"

Dean starts to lower the robe, hearing Cas make a sharp, surprised noise, then hum.  "Oh Dean, you know I love to watch you, and you look so beautiful, but..."

"But what?" Dean murmurs, giving Cas his best pouty, demure look. 

"I won't be able to touch you.  I'd want to touch you, Dean."

There's a quiver in Cas' voice, and it makes Dean's chest ache.  "Jesus, Cas, you're killin' me.  What can I do then?  How can I cheer you up?"

"Just, if you don't mind, stay on the line with me until you fall asleep.  Would that be alright?"

"Dude, I'm not gonna sleep with you watchin' me."  Despite his words, Dean lies back on a mound of fluffy pillows.  He yawns, "I'm not even tired."

Cas laughs fondly, "I promise I'll disconnect as soon as you shut your eyes.  Go to sleep, Dean."

"No,” Dean grunts.  "We'll stay up 'n talk all night.  You're too sad."

"I'm fine, Dean."  Cas says, still laughing softly.  "I feel happier now that I've gotten to see you.  Please sleep."

"Merr,” Bleary eyed, Dean squirms about on the bed until he somehow manages to get under the covers.  He blinks at Cas with heavy lids until he can no longer keep them open.  "Night, Cas.  Love you."

"I love you too.  Goodnight."

 

* * *

 

Dean only sleeps for about two hours before he wakes up.  The room seems so dark and quiet without a soft blue light or whirring chest next to him.  It's too weird.  There are a bunch of huge pillows and thick blankets surrounding him, but they're nothing like Cas' strong arms.

He lets out a deep sigh, and his mind begins to travel. 

It's gonna be great to have Cas again, but what if changing him doesn't improve anything at all?  What if his new soft, humanlike form is so nothing like how Cas feels now that Dean will never feel that strong, secure, safe hug ever again?

What if Cas loses that curious spark?  His cuteness?  That deep, raspy voice?  What if he's _too_ humanlike, and all that goes away?  Dean likes that Cas is so different.

He rattles his head, trying to get rid of all those thoughts.  His mind travels to Ion, the Butlerdroid.

The butler certainly has uniqueness to him; he looks completely human, but you can still tell by his demeanor that he's a bot.  He's attractive enough for sure, but Crowley's models look a lot better.

Perhaps Castiel will still maintain what makes him so - _Castiel._  

He starts to think about how Cas could turn out in a good way.

Cas may not be a hard, solid thing anymore, but in place of that, he'll have warm skin, hair, lips.  As much as he loves making Cas' lights go nuts, with Cas' human body, he'll be able to get all kinds of new reactions out of him.  He'll be able to nibble him, give him hickeys, make him blush all over.  Cas will have hair to pull, nipples to play with, he'll have a _cock_ to suck.

That thought really gets Dean's mind going.

He wonders how sensitive Cas' body will be.  He wonders how fast Cas will get hard, how quickly he'll come, what he'll look like when he does.  Dean can just imagine how surprised he'll be, what kind of sounds he'll make. 

"Dude,” Dean mumbles to himself.  Cas is going to have an _ass._   A real ass.  An ass Dean might get to fuck.  Cas is going to have a G-spot!

Dean is gonna go so crazy on Cas' new body the poor guy's gonna short circuit. 

After that, Dean's too excited to sleep.

 

* * *

 

Castiel is strapped to an operating table.  Well, that's what it's referred to as, but it's actually quite different from operating tables used for humans.  It's not a bed at all, rather two rods that his arms and legs are fastened to, and a platform that rotates in any direction.  His back and front are exposed so the human and robotic engineers can get to any angle they need to.

His chip has been safely transferred, installed snug into his new body.  He's without skin, only wires and metal, biomechanical circuitry much more complicated than his former body. 

He has to remain powered on for the series of tests they are performing on him right now.  It's not painful or uncomfortable in anyway, just a bit boring.  He has to stay alert to answer any questions, which there are many, but he keeps a picture of Dean from his files displayed to view internally.  He still misses Dean very much.

He wishes he could speak with Dean tonight, but he doesn't think he would want to see him like this. 

Castiel thinks about what it will be like to experience life with Dean in his new body.  He can't even fathom it; it will be so different.  What could kissing Dean possibly feel like?  He can't wait to discover the answer.

He hopes Dean likes the look he's chosen. 

There were so many different things to pick from in Crowley's massive catalogue.  Every detail had to be decided.  Crowley, to Castiel's great relief, kept quiet, leaving him to make the decisions completely on his own.  He only spoke when Castiel had questions for him.

When picking features, he thought both about what Dean would like, and what he himself found would suit him best.  It look a long time, but wasn't as difficult as Castiel thought it would be. 

He hopes that's a good sign.

The worst thing about this process, aside from being without Dean for so long, is all this uncertainty.  All androids, all machines, like to be certain.

Dean is much better at spontaneity. 

 

* * *

 

"Well, well, well.  Dean, you little vixen, you."

"Crowley?! What the fuck, man?!" Dean scrambles to cover himself, closing his robe as much as possible and throwing a blanket around him.  "Where's Cas?!"

"Sorry, darling, Cas is under the knife, as it were.  He asked me to call in his place since he's unable to tonight.  He'll probably still be under heavy construction tomorrow."

"Everything better be going well."  Dean grumbles, still beet red and angry.  

"It is, it is.  Don't get your lacy, red panties in a twist.  By the way, I think pink might be a better shade on you."

"Shut the _hell_ up."  Dean glares, shifting on the bed.  "Just update me."

Crowley rolls his eyes and sighs.  "Everything's going perfectly well, Dean.  Not an error to speak of.  We've spent most of today assembling the core of Cas' new body and transferring his chip.  Tomorrow we'll be putting on his case and skin.  You know all my androids are one-of-a-kind, so it takes time."

"Yeah, I know, just - take care of him.  Even if it takes longer than a week."

"Of course."  Crowley says with an alarming amount of warmth.  "Want me to relay anything to him?  All your love?  Hugs and kisses?  Spank me daddy, I've been a naughty-"

"End call!!"

 

* * *

 

Dean gets a text message from Cas on Thursday night.

_Dean_

_hey babe! how are ya?_

_My new body is finally finished.  I'm sorry I can't call you on video.  Crowley says to wait so you can see me for the first time in person._

_makes sense. im excited to see you_

_So am I.  Only 3 more days._

_yep, 3 more days_

_In 3 more days, I can kiss you._

Dean sucks in a sharp breath, feeling like his heart just burst. 

_i cant fuckin wait_

_Neither can I.  I love you._

_love you too cass_

For a few minutes, Dean sits on the edge of the bed, clutching his phone and grinning.  He rereads the conversation over and over, his heart going a mile a minute.

He's gonna kiss the hell out of that android.

 

* * *

 

It's finally Sunday, and Dean can't stop pacing.  His mind is spinning, his heart is pounding.  He feels nervous, like before a first date, or maybe like how people feel before their wedding.  Dean and Cas didn’t have a wedding because Dean knew it’d end up being a publicity madhouse, and Cas agreed.  Instead, they got married online with a few simple keystrokes.  But, if they did have a big ceremony, Dean imagines this is what standing at the end of the aisle waiting for Cas to come out would feel like.  He’s a ball of nerves, but at the same time he can’t _wait._

Crowley called in the morning, saying everything was on schedule and Cas would be back home at noon sharp.  Dean's been counting down the minutes since he disconnected the call. 

All he can think about is what the moment Cas walks in is gonna be like.  Cas is going to look totally different, but he'll still be Cas.  Will Dean recognize him instantly?  Will it be awkward?  What should Dean say?

Dean looks at the time.  It's 11:50.  He mumbles a stream of curse words as he wears holes into the carpet of his living room, walking around in circles and snapping his fingers. 

Dean is definitely wondering what Cas is gonna look like, but he really has no guesses about what he might choose for his new look.  He just hopes to hell Cas is completely happy with how his new body came out.

A sharp pang stabs his chest.

What if Cas doesn't like it?  Dean is positive that if Cas weren't satisfied with his new model that he would tell Crowley.  It's been 3 days since assembly on him finished and Cas didn't report any problems. 

The bottom line is, if Cas isn't 100% thrilled with his new body, _Crowley's gonna need a new one._   Dean will gut that limey bastard. 

He pauses and breathes, trying to calm down.  He can't be all fired up and stressed when Cas gets here.  After a few deep breaths, Dean goes over to the couch and starts to sit down.

Then he hears a car attach to the balcony. 

Dean jolts up straight, frozen where he stands, staring at the door. 

There are footsteps, the sound of an entry code being registered, then the door slides open.

An android walks in, stopping right in front of the door when it closes behind him.  Dean's breath catches, his heart leaps into his throat.

"Cas,"

The android turns towards Dean.  Two blue eyes look right at him.  A kind face smiles faintly. 

"Hello, Dean."

Before his brain even catches up, Dean's wobbly legs are jogging up to the android standing in the entryway. 

Dean laughs breathlessly, incredulously.  "Wow, Cas - holy shit - you look,"

With wide eyes, Dean looks Cas up and down, all over.  He's wearing a trench coat and a suit.  He's the same height as always, just about an inch shorter than Dean.  His skin - his _skin_ \- is tan, his hair is dark brown, and his eyes are a strikingly bold blue, just as they should be. 

He _does_ look totally different, but it's definitely, absolutely, Dean's Castiel.  There's something so Cas about the way the tie around his neck is all askew, about how the trench coat he's wearing is a tad too big, about the way his hair - god damn that hair - is perfectly messy.  Somehow, the shape of his head is the same as it's always been, even with all the new features.  Even the 5 o'clock shadow he's wearing makes so much sense.

After taking him all in, Dean feels his whole body shake.

Cas is the most gorgeous thing Dean has ever seen in his life. 

"You look great."

"Thank you,” Cas says, and Dean's eyes finally zone in on his lips. 

Cas has _lips._

Dean practically falls forward, swinging his arms around Cas' shoulders and tumbling into a kiss.  Cas responds instantly, sighing and whimpering, fitting his lips to Dean's like he'd been waiting to do this since he was in pieces on the assembly line at Angeldroid Corporations. 

They kiss and kiss, open, deep, and so warm.  It's loud and smacky, messy, and completely perfect.  Dean's heart does gymnastics inside his chest as he lets himself melt into Cas' arms.

Those arms hold Dean up, hold him tight in that familiar sturdy, safe way.  It's that same strong hold that Dean fell in love with all those years ago. 

Dean pulls back just far enough to breathe Cas' name brokenly into his mouth before kissing him again.  Cas holds him even closer, presses into Dean's mouth even harder.  Dean moves a shaking hand through Cas' new, soft as fuck head of hair and curls his fingers into it.  Cas moans and so does Dean.

Finally, they part their kiss, and Dean moves his hands to cup Cas' beautiful face.  He's met with shining, happy, blue eyes.

They both stare for a minute, then bust out into giggles.  Cas is wearing a big, wide smile.  It's the sweetest thing Dean's ever seen.  Cas is the everythingest thing he's ever seen. 

Dean's eyes trace Cas' face, hands cup his neck, fingers twist the curling ends of Cas' hair.  "Cas, Jesus, you look so great.  How do you feel?  You feel good?"

"I feel great.  I feel very happy."

He looks so happy. 

"That's awesome.  Really."  Dean smiles huge to match Cas', "And you feel like – you know - you?"

"Yes.  I feel like me.  Definitely."  Cas nods.

"Yeah?  You look like you.  I mean, you look different - like a new you - but still, it's you.  It's,” Dean shakes his head in disbelief.  "It's incredible."

Cas' smile gets even wider, his eyes flutter closed and Dean watches as he leans in to connect their lips once more.  They kiss deeply, Dean's arms going back around Cas' shoulders, feeling Cas' brand new fingers curl into Dean's shirt.

Each kiss, no matter the length, is powerful and warm and sweet.  Each kiss makes Dean feel dizzy and light as air. 

"How 'bout this kissing thing?" Dean asks between even more kisses, "Pretty great, huh?"

"Mmm,” Cas hums onto Dean's lips in a manner so familiar though it feels entirely new, "The greatest thing I've ever felt."

Dean pulls away and chuckles, thinking he can't wait for Cas to feel a slew of other great things. 

"Hey," Dean says when a realization hits him.  "Your voice sounds the same.  The same, but like, clearer."

Cas nods, "Getting my voice right was one of the things Crowley spent the most time on."

Dean smiles widely, "Well, he did a damn good job."

It's true, Cas' voice sounds exactly how it should.  It's that same deep rumble, but without the sort of buzzy overtone. 

"He did a damn good job on everything.  And everything you picked - it's all perfect.  You're fucking perfect, Cas."

The android grins and Dean admires his dimples.  He's got creases around his eyes too, kind of like Dean does.  Dean takes a moment to admire Cas' face again, nearly falling into a trance, his arms loose around Cas' shoulders while Cas keeps holding him steady. 

"Dean?"

"Hm?"

"Would you like to see the rest of my body?"

 

* * *

 

Cas slides out of his trench coat, dropping it on the bedroom floor.  Dean’s already almost drooling.

The android toes his shoes off next, tugs off his socks, then takes off his suit jacket.  Dean swallows.  This is taking way too long.

He surges forward, pulling off Cas’ tie, then furiously unbuttons his shirt and tears it down his shoulders, tossing it to the side.  Dean pauses.

His eyes are on a broad, tanned, chiseled chest.  A collar bone.  Toned, sinewy shoulders that lead to strong looking arms.  There’s a six-pack and hipbones that look carved out of stone.

“Holy,” Dean breathes, hearing Cas’ shy chuckle. 

Cas takes Dean’s wrists and places them on his warm, soft, bare chest.  Dean’s breath catches; it feels so real.  He’s not still for long, taking a step closer to slide his palms down Cas’ torso, fingertips tracing all these new dips and curves. 

When Dean gets to Cas’ sides, lightly tracing over his waist and hips, Cas gasps and jumps. 

“Dean! That feels – oh,” They smile at each other, “I’m ticklish.”

Dean laughs mischievously, but he refrains for now.  There is definitely a tickle fight on the horizon, but it can wait.  Instead, his hands travel to Cas’ belt buckle, where he realizes he’s shaking.

Seeing Cas’ new body naked is a big deal.  Not even because of how gloriously sexy it already is, and it _is_ considering how Dean’s cock’s been twitching since that trench coat came off.  No, this is big because Dean’s going to see all of Cas, all of what Cas chose for himself.  All of what Cas was meant to be.

The android takes Dean’s wrists again, then slides warm hands up Dean’s trembling arms.  He pulls Dean in close and kisses him slowly.  Dean lets go of the belt to wrap his arms around Cas’ waist, palms spreading over a muscular back that Dean can wait to get a look at too.

Then, he feels Cas’ hips pull back, then pair a hands working between them.  Dean pulls away from the kiss to look down and watch as Cas unbuckles and unfastens, then lowers his pants along with a pair of white boxer shorts. 

Dean pulls away a little further to get a better look, eyes laser focused on the newly revealed skin.  Cas has got a beautiful fucking cock, and Dean immediately wants to put his mouth around it.  Dean bites his lip, seeing it looks like it’s already getting a bit hard. 

With a breathy, incredulous laugh, Dean takes a step back to get the full effect.  He nearly chokes.  “Fuck, Cas.”

Cas hums a soft laugh, and Dean can tell Cas’ eyes have been focused on him the whole time.  Dean flushes with both arousal and embarrassment knowing that he’s standing there leering, but Cas is smiling pleasantly, like he’s enjoying the attention.

“So, what do you think?”  Cas asks, spreading his arms like he’s displaying himself.  Dean chuckles, thinking back on all the times Dean’s done that exact same move to Cas, only much cockier. 

Before Dean answers, he rubs a finger to his chin, feigning pensiveness as he circles Cas to scope out the rest of his naked body.  Cas’ gaze follows Dean with a knowing smirk and a quirked brow, which Dean would say is _so_ Cas if his eyes weren’t busy trailing the curving outline of his body’s side view.  

Finally, Dean’s behind Cas, eyes taking their time as they catalogue the back of Cas’ head all the way down.  He sees bitable shoulder blades, and lines of back muscles he didn’t even know were possible.  He follows the dip in the middle down to a perfect, round, perky ass.  It takes every ounce of restraint Dean can muster to keep from hurling himself at that butt and gnawing on it.

“Cas,” Dean begins his answer as he slowly saunters around Cas’ other side, “I think I’m gonna make you scream.”

“What?” Cas turns to Dean with a curious look, meeting Dean’s eyes once they slowly make their way up his body. 

What Cas sees is a look on Dean’s face that if it were directed at _anyone_ else, would get him slapped to next week.

 

* * *

 

“Oh - oh, Dean,”

Castiel is spread out on the bed, writhing and clutching the sheets while Dean sucks kisses all over his new, sensitive synthetic flesh.  He has kissed Castiel everywhere from the waist up, all over his face, across his chest and stomach, all the way up and down his arms.  He’s even kissed across Castiel’s hands, his knuckles and fingers. 

All this attention, all these kisses are overwhelming. 

Everything feels completely different with this new skin and all these new features.  It seems like every inch of him is hypersensitive, tingling and hot with every kiss of Dean’s lips, lick of his tongue, and bite of his teeth.

It’s wonderful. 

“Cas, fuck, you’re so beautiful,” Dean whispers hot onto one of Castiel’s hipbones.  “God I missed you so much.”

Castiel gasps when Dean plants his lowest kiss yet on his pelvis.  “I missed you too, Dean.  I’m glad you like my new body.”

Dean looks up at that, moving to sit up between Castiel’s legs.  “I’m glad _you_ like your new body.  I like it ‘cause you like it.  You know that, right?”

“Yes, Dean, I know,” Castiel nods rapidly, feeling tingling heat travel down his whole body, a sensation he’s quickly getting used to considering how many times it’s happened since he got home.  “I love you.”

“I love you too.”  Dean says in a dark, rumbling voice that seems to summon a host of heat to Castiel’s penis.  Everything Dean has done so far has caused a lot of reaction there.  Castiel craves more.

Dean lifts one of Castiel’s legs, gripping onto a thigh to bring it to his face and trail kisses down it.  He scoots forward a bit, and Castiel feels Dean’s erection graze his upper inner thigh. 

“Oh,” Castiel whines, moving down to feel it again.  Castiel knows precisely what Dean’s cock looks like, but now it, it feels so different.  He wants it inside him.

“Dean?” 

“Yeah, baby?” Dean mumbles as he trails his tongue up Castiel’s other thigh, tracing a curve of biomechanical musculature. 

“Would you like to penetrate me?”

The question makes Dean jolt, giving Castiel a peculiar look.  “Dude, don’t say penetrate, it’s – wait, what?  You want me to…?”

“Fuck me.”

“Oh God.  Hell yeah.” Dean rushes forward, flushing their bodies together and falling into a kiss. 

Castiel grips Dean instantly, moaning into his mouth.  He feels Dean lift his legs one after the other to hook them around his waist.  Castiel knows this position well; he has had Dean underneath him in the same way many times before.  Castiel smiles at the thought of getting to trade places for the first time.

It feels incredible being naked with Dean, warm bodies pressed together, Dean’s cock hard up against his own.  It always felt so wonderful having Dean wrapped around him before, but now it’s so much better.  Everything feels so warm, hot in fact.  Every part of his body feels so _good,_ but also feels – urgent.

There are so many feelings happening all at once, especially with Dean kissing him again.  Kissing Dean has been the best of all. 

Dean circles his hips over Castiel’s, creating pressure between their cocks.  They both moan, feeling Dean quiver in his arms like he often does when he’s desperately aroused.  Castiel now fully understands what that’s like.

The android gasps when he realizes he’ll soon experience his first orgasm. 

“Dean, now, please.”

Without another word, Dean is resituating himself between Castiel’s legs and lubing up two of his fingers.  Before he begins, he looks for approval, which Castiel of course gives immediately.  This cannot seem to happen quickly enough, Castiel wants it all now.

Slowly, Dean eases in a finger.  Castiel flexes and flutters around it as Dean pushes in deep, deep, deep until –

“Oh!”

“Yeah?” Dean coos, rubbing up against the new spot he’s found inside Castiel.  “Right there?”

“Yes, Dean, yes,” Castiel grabs onto Dean’s wrist, and Dean slips in a second finger.  “Dean, ah, please – yes,”

Castiel isn’t sure why he’s saying what he’s saying, but he knows they are the right words.  Dean agrees, saying “Yeah” and humming and moaning right back, even though all he is doing is pleasing Castiel.

Just when Castiel thinks his systems are about to overheat, Dean pulls his fingers out.  He gets back into his previous position lying on top of Castiel while still leaving himself room to reach between them.  Castiel cranes his neck to watch Dean grab his cock and push it inside, but as soon as he presses in, Castiel’s head flies back into the pillows.

“Dean!”

“Mmm,” Dean hums as he pushes all the way inside Castiel’s hole.  “So tight, Cas, _fuck_ ,”

Dean starts to move, thrusting in and out, slowly at first then picking up a medium pace.  It feels so incredibly good being full, being fucked, being in this erotic rhythm that Dean has created.

“Does it feel good, Dean?  Do I feel good?” 

Castiel’s former model was not nearly this sensitive, but he could still register being touched.  When he attached his vibrating shaft and made love to Dean, he could feel it, and it was always so very good.  However, it was nothing so intense as this. 

Still, he hopes his hole feels at least as good to Dean as Dean’s always has to Castiel.

“ _Yes,_ ” Dean growls against the flesh of Castiel’s neck, sucking a kiss onto it.  Castiel whimpers and holds onto Dean even tighter, worried for a moment he could crush the man in his grip.  Fortunately, Dean returns the hold, boxing Castiel in between his forearms.  “Fuck, you feel so good, Cas.”

The android smiles, but it can’t last for long with everything else he’s feeling. 

He remembers well how he used to thrust into Dean, how methodical it was, mechanical.  Dean is not that way.  His rhythm is steady, he reaches Castiel’s faux prostate often, but every move is not calculated.  He is simply moving on instinct, making both Castiel and himself feel good. 

And he makes Castiel feel very good. 

Each time he rubs against Castiel’s most sensitive spot inside him, it sends a shock of hot pleasure through him.  If this is anything close to how Castiel made Dean feel, then it’s no wonder that Dean would come apart the way he did.

Castiel can feel himself nearing that state now. 

Dean looks at him, kisses him hard, then he trusts in full force one, two, three times, and that does it. 

Castiel feels a thousand sparks shoot through him, feels his circuits go aflame.  He whirrs and jolts and shudders as insanity plummets down his new body, exploding out of him in blissful bursts.  He’s holding Dean and kissing Dean and having his first orgasm and no test could have prepared him for feeling this good.

In the middle of it all, Dean thrusts in him again, and Castiel feels him shudder one last time in his arms.  He can feel Dean coming inside of him, it’s warm and wet, it fills him until it spills over.  Castiel finally feels like he and Dean have truly connected.

When it’s over, they hold each other, Dean catches his breath and Castiel’s system calms down. 

They look at each other, smile and kiss, and Castiel the android is filled with so much love.

 

* * *

 

On Monday morning, Dean wakes up to a broad, golden chest and the soft sounds of the mechanics working underneath it.  He smiles sleepily, shifting where he lay in strong arms to face the body next to him.  He plants soft kisses on the dip in the center of a warm chest, smile growing when he hears a processor’s crescendo as it wakes up.

“Good morning, Dean.”

“Mmmornin’.”

The two slept in late, Dean having taken off work today to make up for that week without Cas.  He’s seriously considering taking the rest of the week off as well.

They spent all of yesterday afternoon and night exploring Cas’ new body.  Dean showed Cas all kinds of things they weren’t able to do before with only one of them having a mouth and tongue.  They tried as much out as they could on each other before Dean had to call it quits.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Mmm,” Dean hums into a warm kiss just beneath Cas’ collar bone.  “Best I’ve slept in a whole week.”

“Good,” Cas says, and Dean can already tell what he sounds like when he talks with a smile.  “What would you like to do today?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Dean says as the two move about to lie face to face.  “What would _you_ like to do today?”

Cas chuckles deep and throaty before leaning in for a kiss.  “I believe there are a few things we didn’t get to try last night.  Also, did I tell you my cock can vibrate?”

Dean’s head jerks back in surprise, eyes going wide to match the growing grin on his face.  He collides his mouth with Cas’, hugging his arms around the android so he can roll their bodies until he’s underneath.

Then, they make love for who knows how many times it’s been now, and Dean screams on Cas’ new vibrating cock that somehow feels even better than the miracle that was the last one.

 

* * *

 

During their first two days together with Cas’ new body, their lives didn’t seem to be much different.

Though, it’s difficult to say considering they’ve kept themselves shut out from the world to enjoy each other’s company and no one else’s. 

Once they decide to rejoin society (and put clothes on for the first time in 48 hours), Dean starts to see a difference. 

It’s not so much that things between he and Cas change, Cas is still the same great Cas he’s always been, but when the public eye is turned towards them, they’re looked at in a whole new way.

When they go out anywhere, they are stopped by press or pointed at and followed by camera-bots.  The journalists(both human and android) stop them often to ask a slew of personal questions.  Dean, of course, blows them off as best he can, though Cas always tells him it’s for the good of Winchester Aeromobile if Dean is at least polite to them, but it’s difficult.

They are so annoying.

Cas has said that he can see the world much clearer with his new eyes, so Dean has been taking Cas out as often as possible to show what he’s been missing in their city.  It’s a city of industry, all skyscrapers and hover-cars zipping around, but Dean still knows a few beautiful spots with flourishing nature. 

The trouble is, everywhere they go, they seem to be followed.

They all ask the same thing: “What’s life for you two like with Cas’ new body?”

Cas doesn’t think it’s a strange question, but Dean knows what they’re really getting at.  There’s no way Dean’s going to divulge to those vultures anything about their private life. 

Of course, Cas gets a lot of the attention, and the questions are mostly directed at him.  Cas never falters under the journalists’ probing, even if he sometimes has no idea how to answer them.  Dean helps, but sometimes he finds Cas’ confusion too cute, and his resulting frustration with Dean even cuter.

Poor guy.

After a few weeks of this, Dean grows tired.  He doesn’t like Cas getting all this press, and he doesn’t like that he doesn’t like it.  Makes him feel like a bad husband.

Though some articles on the pair are a bit more sordid, the general consensus is that Cas is something of an inspiration for people and their bots who want to change themselves into the way they were meant to be, because Cas feels he was meant to be in his new form.  Dean agrees.

He thinks it’s great that Cas is something of a positive icon for society, when a lot of things politically and economically are still pretty bleak.  Cas is happy to spread happiness, and Dean is happy for him.

Still, there’s a dark part of Dean that hates every time Cas goes on some show to do some interview, or when some writer calls to speak with him for hours on end.  Dean has gotten far too used to having Cas all to himself, that all this outside attention is making him jealous.

He hates himself for it most of all. 

Fortunately, when Dean _does_ have Cas back home to himself, things are as great as ever.

 

* * *

 

“Oh, Dean, you are so unbelievably beautiful.”  Cas says with a sort of wistful reverence as he kisses down Dean’s naked body.  “All that you’ve shown me these past weeks, the trees, flowers, animals, the sunset, and you are still the most beautiful creation of all.”

“Jesus,” Dean groans with a chuckle, “You get your pillow talk ideas from Hallmark cards?”

“I’m simply ‘speaking from the heart’, as humans say.”  The android kisses up Dean’s still flushed chest, then pulls away to look into his eyes.  “I can see you so much more clearly with these eyes, I feel like I see more of you now.”

“Yeah?” Dean quirks a brow, “Like all my wrinkles?”

“Yes.  I especially like the ones by your eyes,” Cas says, proving himself by kissing the crow’s feet next to either of Dean’s eyes.  “Eyes, by the way, that have more shades of green and brown than any of the plant life you’ve shown me.”

“Alright already with the romantic stuff.”  Dean grumbles, desperately trying to ignore the darkening blush on his face as Cas kisses across Dean’s closed eyes. “You already got me in bed; you don’t need to wax poetic about my eyes.”

“Then I can talk about your lovely freckles instead,” Cas pulls back once more, gaze traveling Dean’s face. “I had no idea how many you have, or that they’re all over your body.”

“Guess you did get a good look at the ones on my ass a little bit ago.”

Cas laughs fondly, “I did, when my face wasn’t buried between it.”

Dean busts out into a hearty laugh, throwing his arms around the android and pulling him into a kiss.

Yes, when they are home together, everything is perfect.

 

* * *

 

Winchester Aeromobile holds another big event to celebrate absorbing a bankrupt company and all its employees, saving many jobs.

Dean’s happy for the achievement, blushing every time Sam or Cas tell him they’re proud. 

Unfortunately, he still has to go to the damn party.

Normally, Dean can grin and bear it, but tonight is the first time since Cas got his new body that the two of them have attended an event thrown by his company.  Apparently this is a big deal, judging by the swarm of camera-bots, journalists, and hosts chasing them as they try to get inside the ballroom.  They’re all talking over one another; it’s so loud and obnoxious that it makes Dean feel physically ill.  He grips Cas’ arm tight, nearly sinking into his side as they make their way inside, ignoring everyone’s questions as best they can.

Dean does not like being under a microscope like this.  He doesn’t like _Cas_ being such a focal point of everyone’s attention.

Crowley, however, loves it.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite couple!” Crowley pats them both on the back, then slinks around to stand in front of them.  Dean groans.  “How’s my biggest success story doing?”

“ _Crowley-“_

“Assuming you’re referring to me,” Cas starts, cutting Dean off. “I’m doing very well.  I can’t thank you enough.”

“There’s no need for thanks, darling.  Business is bloody booming for me thanks to all the press you’re doing, and that’s well thanks enough.” Crowley smirks at Cas, a twinkle in his eye as he tugs on his arm. “Speaking of which, looks like there are some people here that want to chat with you.”

Cas looks over curiously as he sees a woman striding over to them, a camera-bot hovering beside her, and several other similar pairs behind her.  Cas smiles when she reaches him with a bubbly greeting, toothy grin, and an entirely too friendly squeeze of his shoulder.

He talks to each of them, granting them a short interview, but they just keep coming.  There’s no way they’ll get a moment’s peace any time soon.  Dean sighs, venturing off in hopes of finding some friends while Cas does his thing.

This is Dean’s nightmare.

Dean’s a personable guy, he’s friendly, outgoing.  He likes talking to people.  However, there’s something about these fancy-ass parties that makes Dean feel so out of place.  That’s just the way it will always be.

Fortunately, for the past five years he’s had Castiel to stay beside him, to be his rock.  Now, it seems, that’s all changing.

Dean grabs some cheeseburger sliders from a tray as he walks through the crowd, stuffing one in his mouth and mumbling curse words around it. 

“Dean!”

“Sam, Jess, thank _god_ ,” Dean practically jogs to meet up with his brother and sister-in-law. “This fucking sucks.”

“What? How? It’s a great turn out,” Sam looks around, forehead scrunched up in confusion. “Hey, where’s Castiel?”

“Yeah, _exactly.”_ Dean gestures behind him to the group of people interviewing the android.

“Oh wow.  I knew he was getting a lot of media attention lately, but that is crazy.”  Jess says with a palm to her chest.  Her other arm is intertwined delicately with Sam’s, her hand clasping his bicep.  Dean gulps at the sight, feeling an unexpected tightness in his throat and a sting in his chest.  Jess’ gaze returns to Dean, her woman’s intuition picking up on Dean’s feelings instantly.  “Don’t worry, Dean, you know how the media is, they’ll move on to something else soon.  Everything will go back to normal eventually.”

Dean heaves a sigh and nods, thankful to her, but still hating himself for being such a baby. 

He _is_ happy for Cas, but something about tonight gives Dean an immense feeling of dread.

 

* * *

 

They’re been fighting all day.

“Please, Dean, tell me what’s wrong!  I can’t solve a problem without knowing what it is!”

Dean rakes his fingers through his hair and pulls with an escalating groan as he paces around the living room, “I don’t fucking know, Cas!  Not every problem has a name and criteria and a formula that can fix it, okay?  Sometimes shit’s just bad!”

“But _what_ shit is bad? I don’t understand.”  Cas shakes his head, looking completely stressed and lost.  “I can’t make you happy if I don’t understand.”

“You – just – fuck!”  Dean shouts, sitting heavily onto the couch and burying his face in his hands. 

Dean feels just as lost as Cas looks.

All the media attention, all the press, all the people taking Cas away haven’t let up.  It’s been months now and Dean doesn’t even understand it.  Dean has a very successful, lucrative company.  Even he will admit that he and Castiel have become somewhat of an iconic couple, but he doesn’t understand _why_ people care so much about what Cas has done with his own body.

It’s partly because Cas is linked with Crowley’s company, which is just as huge if not more so than Dean’s, given how the outstanding quality of his androids have fluctuated society.  Also, it seems Cas’ transformation has started an influx of other older-model bots upgrading, as well as humans with bionic parts upgrading themselves to something more life-like. 

Dean doesn’t get why it’s such a big deal, it isn’t exactly something new.  Sam says it’s because people latch on to any sort of celebrity, and as irritating as that can be, it’s still a good thing because what Cas is promoting is positive.

None of that even matters really, not to Dean.  Cas has become this big deal.  He’s away a lot.  He’s leaving Dean behind.

“I just want things to be back to the way they used to be!”

Finally, Dean meets Cas’ eyes.  Dean can feel his face is blotchy red and wet with tears.  Cas, however, is completely stone-faced. 

The android doesn’t speak a word.  He simply looks Dean in the eye, nods, then turns away and walks out the door. 

Dean stares dumbstruck until he hears a car latch onto their balcony, then zoom off.  He leaps out of his seat and runs to the door, slamming his hand on the touchpad to open it.  It slides open, and no one’s there.

 

* * *

 

_This_ is Dean’s nightmare.

Cas has been gone for days without a word.  He left after their fight, hasn’t called or texted.  Dean hasn’t seen him on any new interviews.  Neither Sam nor Jess have heard from him either.

Dean hasn’t slept.  He can’t sleep being so overloaded with worry.  He can’t sleep without Cas.

He stays home from work, waiting for Cas to return, repeating an apologetic speech in his mind over and over again.  How could he have made Cas _want_ to leave?  He pushed Cas away without even realizing it, now he’s gone just like everyone else Dean loves leaves.

Dean’s _alone_ and it’s his fault. 

 

* * *

 

Dean’s mother Mary died when Dean was only four years old.

It was an electrical fire caused by faulty wiring in an early version of a central system that controls the electronics in the house. 

Dean remembers the night very well.  He remembers screaming, and heat, and smoke.  He remembers his father John grabbing him tight, and telling him to do the same to his baby brother Sammy.  They rushed out of the house, squeezed in John’s protective hold.

He remembers knowing that their house was burning to the ground, and knowing that his mother was still inside it.

When she died, it felt like the world shifted.  Everything was different. 

Dean still misses her.  There is a photo of her in a frame in Dean’s bedroom.  Cas has said many times that she was beautiful, and that Dean takes after her.

John, Dean’s father, was a changed man after Mary died.  He was all work, mind focused on the family company and nothing else.  Even when Dean started working for the company too, his father barely spoke to him.  Only about 4 years after Dean began working there, John died of a heart attack.

But, Dean still had Sammy.

Until he left for law school.

Dean lived alone for a long, long time before Cas walked stiffly into his apartment.  Sam was bright-eyed with excitement when he brought the android over, so happy to have found the perfect solution to his older brother’s perpetual solitude.

It was humiliating; Dean felt like he couldn’t make a real relationship work, so here was this fake-person who was programmed to love him.  So, naturally, Dean was a total dick to the android.

The android, however, was a dick right back.  He didn’t take any of Dean’s shit, and in fact threw it right back at him.  It didn’t take long before Dean realized maybe this was exactly the type of relationship he needed, human or not.  Cas was remarkable, _is_ remarkable. 

Cas was there when he got home from work every day.  There to argue with Dean, joke with Dean, just _talk_ with Dean.  As the days went by, Dean realized having the android around was pretty damn awesome.

But now, he’s gone.

How could Dean have ever let that happen?

 

* * *

 

“Dean?”

“Yeah, Cas?”

“What do I do when you die?”

Dean pulls back from their tight embrace where they lie in bed to meet the android’s curious blue eyes. 

“What are you talkin’ about?”

“I mean,” Cas starts, looking lost.  “My body is new, and so is my entire system.  It won’t expire for at least one hundred years.  You will die decades before that.”

“Calling me old?  Gee, thanks for the reminder, Cas.”

“ _Dean._ ”  Cas scolds, “You know what I mean.  What do I do for all those years after you’re gone?”

Dean shrugs, “Whatever you want.”

Somehow, Cas is able to make his expression even more lost, and more curious.  It tugs at Dean’s heart seeing the android look like a stray puppy.  Cas looks down, eyes moving about as they search for answers.  He makes a sad, frustrated noise, then burrows closer to Dean.

“Hey, come on, don’t be like that, Cas.”  Dean pinches Cas’ shoulder playfully, “I might be gettin’ old, but there’s still a good while before you have to worry about that.  Let’s see: I’m 35 now, so I got about – what? 30 years left.”

Cas gasps, jerking in Dean’s arms and looking at him with wide eyes.  “You have much more than that left!”

“Ehh, I dunno,” Dean teases, “I hit the bottle a lot before you came along.  Also, you know how I love an artery-clogging cheeseburger.”

“You will _not_ die at 65, Dean.” Cas says resolutely, sternly, seeing no humor in Dean’s attitude.  “I’ll make sure of that.”

“Oh yeah?  Well what’s your Dean Death Prediction then?”

“You have approximately 70 years left to live.”

Dean bursts out laughing, “70 fucking years?  You think I’m gonna live to be a hundred?!”

“Yes.  At least.”  Cas says with upmost sincerity.

“Dude, you won’t even want my withered old ass around when I’m a hundred!  I’ll be falling apart, it’ll be disgusting!  Did we ever watch that movie The Fly?”

“Don’t say that, Dean.” Cas pulls Dean even closer, until their foreheads are touching. “I will always want you.”

“Okay,” Dean intones in sarcastic skepticism, “I’m gonna hold you to that when all my hair falls out and my skins draggin’ on the floor,”

“You won’t fall apart.  I’ll take care of you.”  Cas says, facial features sharp and serious.  “Then, when you die, I’m not sure what I’ll do, but I promise to honor you.”

Dean snorts, shaking his head despite the adoring smile on his face.  “You are too good to me, Cas.  Too good.”

 

* * *

 

Dean lies in the same position he was in during that memory he’s replaying in his head.  Now, however, it’s dark, quiet, lonely in his room.  It’s cold, even cocooned by a plush comforter.

Cas has always done anything for him, done so much just to make Dean happy, and Dean has been ungrateful. 

He misses Cas so much.  He hopes the android will somehow forgive him, if he ever returns.

Dean squeezes his eyes shut tight and actually _prays_.  Cas will come back; Dean has to believe it.

 

* * *

 

After 5 whole days, Castiel returns.

The door slides open, making Dean jump where he sits on the couch in the position he’s been in all morning.  He leaps up out of the seat wearing his boxers and an open robe.  He frantically runs a hand through his hair to straighten it as best as possible.

Then, an android walks in.

Dean’s breath catches.  “Cas?”

Timidly, Dean approaches the android where he stands in the entryway.  A white-plated head-casing turns toward him, blue lights blink mildly across the black screen on it.

“Hello, Dean.”

“Cas? Cas, what did you do?”  Dean asks panicked, heart racing as he walks up close.  “Where did you go?”

“You wanted things to be back to the way they used to be, so I reacquired my previous model and system from Crowley.” Cas says plainly, the lights unmoving.

“Cas, but,” Dean breathes, total disbelief and guilt taking him, stabbing him in his chest. 

“Are you displeased?  If you are unsatisfied with this model, I can go back to my previous one.  Though it may take time to fit me into Crowley’s schedule again.”

Dean gulps around a growing tightness in his throat, his lip quivers so he bites it.  Cas is Cas, but he doesn’t sound like Cas.  Not because that fuzzy distortion has returned to his voice, but how he’s using it.  All the warmth, the emotion, is gone.  He sounds like a robot.

“Cas, fuck, I don’t care what you look like, I’m just glad you’re back.” Dean surges forward, throwing his arms around the android, pressing himself up against the cool, solid plastic and metal.  He shakes and sobs, apologetic speech falling out of his brain in a simple stream of “I’m sorry’s”.  He kisses between words and sobs all along the side of Cas’ head, pressing his lips hard against a harder surface.

It feels like forever before Cas’ arms return the embrace.  When they do, they hold Dean tight.  It’s secure, it’s safe and familiar, but it’s not quite the same.

It’s not warm.

But to Hell with warmth, Dean thinks, Cas is back and nothing else matters.

 

* * *

 

Castiel is a machine.

When machines encounter problems, they make moves to fix them.

Castiel doesn’t think he’s fixed this problem.

Dean seems happy again; smiling and warm and affectionate.  However, now it seems that Castiel is the one with the problem.

People still call for Castiel requesting interviews, or just short quotes addressing the rumors that he’s given up his Life Droid model.  Castiel doesn’t wish to speak with them. 

He goes about his daily tasks, just as he used to.  He helps Dean get ready for work, cooks meals for him when he has time, talks with Dean, holds him at night.  He enjoys Dean’s company, and he is glad to be in it again.  He missed Dean.

But it is not the same.

Castiel doesn’t feel happy anymore.

Though it was troublesome dealing with the press, Castiel did enjoy telling his story to the public.  He was so happy with his new body, and so happy with how it changed his life, he would gladly share his experience with anyone willing to listen. 

He felt so complete in his new body.  He could see clearer, he could feel _more_ , he could even smell and taste.  He was able to eat Dean’s cooking for the first time, and it was incredible.  Everything was so incredible, and that sensation didn’t seem to dull.

The only trouble was how progressively unhappy Dean got.  Castiel did not understand why; to him, everything was so much better in his new body, and it seemed like Dean wholeheartedly agreed.  But, after a while, Dean grew distant.

It wasn’t until they were in bed, holding and kissing each other, that Dean seemed okay again.

But now Castiel cannot kiss Dean.

He can’t feel the scratch of Dean’s stubble rubbing against his own, because he no longer has it.  He can’t feel the different textures of their skin when they lie naked together, because he no longer has skin.  He can’t feel Dean’s fingers glide through his hair, can’t feel them dig into his flesh.  He can’t feel Dean’s lips and tongue work magic on body parts he no longer has. 

He misses it all terribly.  Castiel doesn’t feel like Castiel anymore.

 

* * *

 

"Okay, Cas, I gotta say it." Dean slams his palms onto his thighs, breaking the silence between them as they sit on a Saturday afternoon watching television.  "I know you're not happy."

Castiel turns towards Dean, his lights make a still, curious shape.  He waits for Dean to continue.

Dean heaves a deep sigh, still not making eye contact with the android.  "Look, I know you went through so much trouble for me, and I've been a huge pain in the ass, and this is all my fault, but - I can't take this anymore.  You're sad and just - fuck - I'm sorry."

When he's finished, he finally looks at Castiel.  His expression is pained, apprehensive.  He almost looks scared. 

"I failed you."

"Huh?" Dean quirks a brow, "What are you talkin' about?"

"You're unhappy too, Dean.  You said you wished for things to go back to the way they were, and this was the solution I came to, but it seems it was the wrong one.  I failed you."

"Cas, you're not the one that failed.  It was me."

The lights on Castiel's screen begin to blink as the android's confusion deepens. 

"You were getting all this attention, and going to all those interviews and I - got jealous.  I didn't like you being gone so often and I was a dick about it.  A selfish, asshole, dick.  I'm so sorry."  Dean sighs again, letting his head fall heavily into his hand. 

Castiel scoots in close to Dean until there's no space between them.  He gently cups Dean's chin, bringing his gaze back up.  Dean looks so sad, and Castiel hates it. 

"I forgive you, Dean, of course.  And I apologize for being gone so frequently.  I suppose I got quite swept up in everything."

"You don't need to apologize for that."  Dean breathes, sounding ashamed.

"Yes, I feel I do."  He strokes Dean's cheek, and sees his eyes fall shut.  "It's my duty to ensure we're happy, and we are clearly happiest when together.  I should've optimized the time we can spend together just as I always have, but instead I did an excess amount of press, when I should have only done those things while you were at work.  It would've made much more sense, looking back on it.  So, please forgive me for that."

"'Course I forgive you."  Dean kisses the palm of Castiel's hand, and it's sweet, though he can only barely register the touch.  He takes Castiel's hand in his, lowering it to rest on his lap, stroking across chrome and plastic fingers with his soft thumb. 

"Thank you.  But...I'm still not sure what to do."  Castiel wraps his other hand around both of Dean's, and stares at the way they're all joined together.  "We're both still unhappy."

"Well - and be honest here - what would make you happy, Cas?  You wanna go back to your other body?"

Castiel looks up, meeting Dean's green eyes, instantly longing to see the scale of hues they hold.  "Yes.  Would that make you happy?"

"Cas, this is your choice, just like it was before.  And, I mean it this time: If it'll make you happy, it'll make me happy."  Dean squeezes his hands, looking at the android with stern resoluteness.  "I swear I won't go back on that this time.  Anything you wanna do I'll support, I promise.  Even if you wanna go on a six month world tour doing motivational speeches, I'll make fucking flyers for it, I swear to God."

With a fond laugh, Castiel leans forward, Dean meeting him halfway to plant a soft kiss to his head-casing.  "Yes, Dean, I want to go back to my Life Droid model.  It would make me very happy.  And I won't be doing any world traveling without you."

"Awesome."  Dean smiles, and it makes Castiel's lights twinkle with joy. 

"Though, I'm not sure how Crowley will react.  He was quite annoyed last time."

"Don't worry about Crowley, you let me handle that mother fucker.  In fact, let's dial him up right now."  Dean turns to the TV, pointing his phone at it to bring up a screen with Crowley’s number for a video call.  "I'll get you in today.  But this time,"

Dean turns to Castiel, giving him his most serious face, bringing Castiel to full alertness. 

"I'm going with you."

Castiel's processor sings, his lights dance, and he throws his arms around Dean, hugging him through his entire conversation with Crowley.

 

* * *

 

Castiel blinks, one, two and three times.  When his eyes open fully, they focus sharply, seeing a familiar operating room and engineers looking down at him. 

His system updates.  It feels more complex than before, feels enhanced.  His body feels warmer.  Then, he recognizes new body parts, or rather, ones he once had and now has again.  He wiggles his fingers and toes.

The platform the operating table rods are attached to begins to move until Castiel is upright.  He’s slowly lowered to the ground, then the clasps around his arms and legs release him. 

“Well, good morning, sunshine!” Crowley walks in, dusting off his palms as if he had done an ounce of the physical work.  “Looking good! How do you feel?”

“I feel good.  Right.  I-“ Castiel stops midsentence when something very important occurs to him.  “Where is Dean?”

Then, he hears an excited tapping on the window to his left. 

Castiel turns toward the sound, seeing a beautiful smiling face, a wink, and a happy wave.

Without another second, Castiel barrels out of the room, jogging around it until he meets the man waiting for him.  He lifts him up, legs wrapping around his waist and they kiss.  Now, everything feels right.

Slowly, he lowers Dean, and they part their kiss, both smiling. 

Dean takes a few steps back, humming as he looks Cas up and down. 

“Hey,”

“Yes, Dean?”

“Think we can skip the step where you put clothes on?”

 

* * *

 

When Dean wakes up, Castiel is already kissing him.

It’s a soft, sweet kiss that Dean immediately tilts his chin up to press into.  They kiss for ages before either says a word.

Eventually, Dean’s empty stomach makes a noise that brings the romance to a halt.  So, he and the android roll out of bed, wrap themselves in robes, and head to the kitchen hand in hand.

There isn’t a proper word that Dean can think of to describe how it makes him feel to cook breakfast for his husband while he waits at the table, reading the news aloud for both of them.  Dean thinks ‘happy’ just isn’t a big, full enough word.

But, when he sits down and serves Castiel with a plate of pancakes, eggs, bacon and sliced fruit, sees him smile, and hears him hum with delight around each bite…

Dean feels happy.

And he knows that Castiel is happy too.

 


End file.
